Salford

Salford's population expanded in the decade leading up to the most recent census. At the same time there were changes in health, religion and housing tenure.

The population passed 230,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Salford increased by 8.3%, from just over 216,000 to 234,000.

The addition of just under 18,000 people means this area's population was the second-fastest-growing in the North West and increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Salford was home to, on average, 17 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was higher than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Salford

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Salford decreased by one year, from 36 to 35 years.

This multi-cultural area had a lower average age than the North West and remained somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of almost 11,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 10 and 19 years decreased by about 1,000.

About 17% of people in Salford are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Salford by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

This area saw the North West's second-largest rise in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as good or very good.

Across the region, only Manchester saw a greater rise in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as good or very good (from 65% to 80%).

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across the North West saw a rise in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as good or very good, as the regional average grew from 67% to 79%.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (78%) in Salford said their health was good or very good, compared with 65% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as bad or very bad decreased from 13% to 7.6%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’good’ or ’very good’ health was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that that said their health was good or very good across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Salford, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.5% to 11% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in three (36%) households had only a single person, compared with 37% in 2001. The percentage of households in Salford, which comprised a married couple (with or without children), decreased from 29% to 25%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the North West. The improvement brought health in Salford close to the national average 9.9% in England described their health as good in 2011).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Salford increased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Salford, the North West and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

This area saw the North West's second-largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

Across the region, only Eden saw a greater fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 10% to 9.3%).

In 2011, just over 1 in 11 (9.2%) households in Salford had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 10% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 28% to 28%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households that where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Salford

The number of people in Salford that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 24,000 in 2001 to just over 52,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 11% to 22% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the North West (from 10% to 20%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Salford that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 170,000 in 2001 to about 150,000 in 2011 (from 76% to 64%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from about 18,000 to about 14,000 (from 8.1% to 6.2%).

Just under 7,700 people (2.4%) said they were Jewish, up from about 5,200 in 2001 (3.3%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Salford increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Salford by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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